


standing on the edge of something good

by bertee



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: M/M, Past Abuse, Rescue, Schmoop, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-07 23:58:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/754597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bertee/pseuds/bertee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which rescuer!Jared and rescuee!Jensen have a quiet afternoon together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	standing on the edge of something good

Jared woke up to the sound of excited panting.

The panting was briefly drowned out by a scolding shout of "Sadie!" but even with the extra warning, Jared didn't manage to rouse himself fully from sleep before he felt the wet drag of a tongue against his cheek.

Wrinkling his nose, he swiped at the spit on his face before opening his eyes to look at his new companion. "Well, hello to you too."

Sadie fixed him with a doggy grin. Despite Jared's best intentions to stay firm in the face of unwanted dog slobber, he couldn't resist reaching out to scritch behind her ears. "Do I taste good, huh? Better than all those toys I bought for you to chew on?"

Happy to be on the receiving end of pats, Sadie wriggled happily against the wood of the porch swing before turning in an impatient circle and flopping down in an exhausted heap on the veranda. Jared knew from experience that she would soon be snoring happily and so gave her one final pat on the side before looking back out across the grass.

The apology was written all over Jensen's face before he even opened his mouth. "I'm sorry," he said, making his way back up to the house. "She saw you out here and wouldn't listen to me when I tried to get her to come back."

"Welcome to the very exclusive club of people Sadie doesn't listen to," Jared teased. "Members include me, you, and everyone else on the planet."

Despite his smile, the little crease of anxiety between Jensen's eyebrows didn't disappear and Jared soothed further, "Don't worry about it. She probably did me a favor anyway." He reached down to pet Sadie some more as she let out a pleased rumble. "I shouldn't spend the entire day napping."

Smiling, Jensen sank down to lean against the wall of the house. His cheeks were flushed from playing out in the grounds with Sadie and Jared eyed the stripe of pink across his nose as he tried to decide whether his skin would burn or just freckle even more.

The day had slipped by quicker than he'd thought, the sun sitting low behind the trees and casting long shadows across the grass, and Jared's stomach rumbled idly as he pushed himself back up to a sitting position. Jensen frowned at the noise and looked up as he asked, "You want me to go make you some food?"

Jared shook his head. "I'm good," he said firmly. He hadn't quite managed to coax Jensen out of that habit yet. "I'll go grab a snack if I decide I can't go on without sugar."

Jensen looked up at him hopefully. "I can-"

"But you won't," Jared said, even more firmly this time. "You're gonna hang out here with me and Sadie, or take a nap inside, or curl up in your favorite chair and read a book, or whatever else you want to do."

"But I want-"

"As long as it doesn't involve waiting on me hand and foot," Jared added. Jensen's skin was damp with sweat when he reached down to run his fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. "You're free now, remember?"

Jensen didn't look up from his hands and Jared sighed. "C'mere, man."

Jared preferred not to think about how readily Jensen complied, rising to his feet and settling next to Jared on the cushioned seat. It started to swing lazily as Jensen climbed on and Jared let the rocking lull them both into relaxation while he eased Jensen down until he was lying across the length of the swing, head pillowed in Jared's lap.

Jensen looked up at him, his gaze placid and trusting, and Jared stroked his thumb over the ridge of his cheekbone as he teased, "You're all pink."

Jensen crinkled his nose. "Sorry," he said, rubbing a hand over his pink nose and only making it pinker in the process. "I should've used more sunscreen."

The apology didn't sit right as Jared reached for the lotion. "I'm just worried about you burning." Tilting Jensen's chin up, he painted the balm over his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, careful to avoid his eyes. "This should help."

Jensen leaned into him as soon as he pulled his fingers away, resting his cheek against Jared's stomach. He'd come a long way from when Jared had first met him, chained up in the cold depths of the cellars, but even after all their time together, he was still just as desperate to be touched.

"It smells weird," Jensen said, twitching his nose but not making any move to rub the lotion off.

Jared smiled. "It's aloe vera. It'll help cool you down."

Jensen's expression was endearingly skeptical but he snuggled in closer anyway as Jared rested his hand on his side. "How are your ribs doing? It looked like Sadie was working you pretty hard out there."

Sadie snuffled her agreement at his feet and Jensen reached down to pet her with a yawn. "They're okay," he said. "It aches sometimes but not as bad as before."

Since 'before' was immediately after Jensen had taken several vicious kicks to the side, the comparison wasn't all that reassuring. He didn't move as though he was in pain, however, and although Jared knew from experience how good Jensen was at hiding his injuries, the lack of tension in his body was a positive sign.

"You'll tell me if it starts hurting, right?" he asked. "I can get more painkillers or some of that gel stuff the doctor recommended." He gave Jensen's hip a squeeze. "No suffering in silence."

"M'not suffering," Jensen said, half-grumpy and half-sleepy. "I'm okay. It doesn't hurt."

Reaching down, Jared tickled the back of Jensen's bare knee, just to hear him yelp in surprise. "You sure about that?"

Squirming away from the tickling, Jensen was breathless and laughing when he rested his head back down on Jared's thigh. "I'm sure. I promise."

He curled his fingers around Jared's as he looked out over the grass. It was lush and dark in the evening sunlight, running the whole way back to the trees that bordered Jared's estate. There were high fences beyond the trees, complete with cameras, guards, and guns, but despite Jared doubling his security after the incident with Stuart, they were still far enough away to maintain the illusion of privacy.

Jensen snuffled against his thigh and Jared dragged his gaze away from the view to where Jensen was seconds away from falling asleep in his lap. "Good to know I'm riveting company."

Jensen laughed, cracking his eyes open again. "You're comfortable company," he said. "Anyway, you slept all afternoon. You can't judge."

"Wouldn't dream of it." He carded his fingers through Jensen's hair, watching the way he curled his toes as he relished the touch. "It's your turn to be the tired old chestnut. I'm not gonna hold you back."

Jensen blinked up at him, bemused. "I'm a chestnut?"

"It's a phrase," Jared said with fake confidence. "Okay, it's probably not the right phrase or in the right context but I just woke up. Cut me some slack."

Smiling, Jensen closed his eyes again. "Forget I said anything."

Jared grinned. "Excellent choice, tired chestnut."

He set the swing moving again as Jensen laughed. The right hinge squeaked a little but it soon blended back into the quiet of the evening as Jensen drifted off to sleep. 

His expression turned relaxed and peaceful, the last traces of anxiety smoothed away by slumber, and Jared allowed himself a moment to watch the steady rise and fall of his chest. He'd watched him sleep before, in his cell at Stuart's mansion and then in Morgan's medical bay, but the sight was much more soothing when Jensen's life wasn't hanging in the balance.

Sadie snored quietly beside them as the shadows of the trees began to climb the porch steps and Jared looked down when he felt Jensen grip his hand tighter in his sleep. Their relationship hadn't moved beyond one of physical comfort, limited to supportive hugs and the reassurance of a friendly touch whenever it was needed, and so as Jensen tucked himself up smaller on the swing, fingers linked with Jared's, Jared told himself that the warm flutter in his chest was nothing out of the ordinary.

He liked Jensen. He was concerned about his wellbeing and he enjoyed spending time with him, just as he did with any of his other friends. Maybe his protective instincts were a little more heightened and maybe he found himself smiling more often around Jensen but these were special circumstances.

It wasn't like he was falling in love with him or anything.


End file.
